Interesting Electric Guitar Facts You May Not Know

th any old pastime, there is a great deal of triviaas more players began to develop skill, a need arose
associated with electric guitars and the people whofor more progressive models of electric guitars.
played them well. Electric guitar innovators inThe First Solid Body Electric Guitar:
manufacturing and performance techniques alike areOne of the most widely known electric guitar facts is
heralded as some of the great historical icons. Fromthat innovator Les Paul created the solid body electric
the man who made the instrument famous to theguitar. One of the most recognizable instruments in the
booming manufacturing era, here are some highlyworld, the solid body electric is so popular these days
interesting electric guitar facts.largely due to the early efforts of Les Paul. Les Paul
The Need for Electric Guitars:wanted a smaller bodied guitar that relied more on the
Electric guitars first appeared because of an unlikelypower of its electronics than acoustic offerings of a
demand. It is a well known electric guitar fact that thehollow body electric. Makers like Fender and
first instruments were needed by big jazz bands in theRickenbacker quickly followed suit and began
early 1930's. Bandleaders called for a source ofproducing impressive solid body electrics. The Les Pal
amplification for the guitar so that it could be heardmodel, however, retains its seat as the king of all
over the screaming horn sections and drums. Electricelectrics, and is still one of the most popularly sold and
guitars for jazz were initially hollow bodied in nature,played instruments today.
and this eventually led to the use of the instrument inThe Electric Guitar Invades Classical Music:
other genres of music.Electric guitars are common in jazz, rock, blues, and
The First Electric Guitarist:country music. Gurus of all types tend to overlook
There were many attempts to create a guitar thatelectric guitar facts relating to classical music. The
could be amplified in the 1930's. Players andinstrument crossed into this unlikely genre and plays an
manufacturers experimented with attachingimportant role for classical guitarists and composers
microphones to guitars, but their feats produced fewalike. Composers experiment with wild songs that call
viable results. The first successfully produced electricfor some 100 electric guitarists, and the instruments are
guitar was called the Rickenbacker. Now with thisoften employed for live performances and recording
great new invention, there had to be a person thatsessions alike.
could really make the instrument sing. Electric guitarsThese are some very basic electric guitar facts, and
are different from acoustic guitars. Remember that atthere are many more like them. Records have been
this time, there was no such thing as electric guitarset and broken, and you just might find yourself turning
technique. Charlie Christian is heralded as the very firstinto a guitar fact finding guru if you continue
electric guitarist. His unique guitar playing techniqueresearching the history of the electric guitar.
went on to inspire many other famous guitarists, and